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. 2014 Nov-Dec;34(6):465-75.
doi: 10.5144/0256-4947.2014.465.

The Saudi Abnormal Glucose Metabolism and Diabetes Impact Study (SAUDI-DM)

Khalid Al-Rubeaan  1 , Hamad Al-Manaa, Tawfik Khoja, Najlaa Ahmad, Ahmad Al-Sharqawi, Khalid Siddiqui, Dehkra AlNaqeb, Khaled Aburisheh, Amira Youssef, Abdullah Al-Batil, Metib Al-Otaibi, Ali Al Ghamdi
Affiliations

The Saudi Abnormal Glucose Metabolism and Diabetes Impact Study (SAUDI-DM)

Khalid Al-Rubeaan et al. Ann Saudi Med. 2014 Nov-Dec.

Abstract

Background and objectives: Saudi Arabia underwent opulence-driven socio-cultural and lifestyle changes leading to soaring rates of diabetes mellitus. This study exposes the epidemiology of abnormal glucose metabolism namely: diabetes and impaired fasting glucose (IFG) in 13 administrative regions of Saudi Arabia.

Design and settings: This is a nationwide, household, population-based cross-sectional study that was conducted through primary health care centers during the period 2007-2009.

Patients and methods: A nationwide, household, population-based cohort of 53370 participants aged 0-100 years adjusted to be compatible with population census was interviewed and anthropometric measures were collected. Fasting blood sample was used to screen for IFG and diabetes.

Results: The overall prevalence of abnormal glucose metabolism was 34.5%, which included 22.6% patients with IFG, 11.9% patients with diabetes, and 6.2% patients who unaware of their disease. Diabetes prevalence was 40.2% for subjects aged >=45 years and 25.4% for those aged >=30 years that decreased to 11.9% when the full age spectrum was considered. Type 1 diabetes prevalence was 0. 8%, contributing only to 6.6% of the total population of patients with diabetes. The top 5 regions with the highest abnormal glucose metabolism prevalence were Makkah (43.4%), Aljouf (41.7%), Eastern region (37.16%), Madinah (35.4%), and Qassim (33.7%). Urbanization, age, and obesity were behind the wide variations in diabetes and IFG prevalence in the 13 regions.

Conclusion: Abnormal glucose metabolism has reached an epidemic state in Saudi Arabia, where one-third of the population is affected and half of diabetic cases were unaware of their disease. This observation warrants an urgent strategy for launching diabetes primary prevention and screening programs.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Age-specific diabetes prevalence in relation to the population pyramid according to the census 2007.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Age-adjusted prevalence of type 1 and type 2 diabetes mellitus and impaired fasting glucose according to the age groups.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Diabetes and impaired fasting glucose prevalence in the 13 administrative regions in Saudi Arabia.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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